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Friday, April 17, 2020
Foraging, Cocktails, Tasty Trad and Sheer Temptation...Welcome to Week Two of the Virtual Festival of Food
Amuse Bouche
Outside, the Autan wind gained strength, and we began to hear the rain smacking against the window glass.
from Peaches for Monsieur le Curé by Joanne Harris (2012). Very Highly Recommended.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
A Quartet of International IPAs. Including a couple of crushables!
A Quartet of International IPAs
Odell (Colorada) “Good Behaviour” Crushable IPA 4%, 355mls can Bradley’s
Light gold colour, good mix of hop and fruit flavours. Very pleasant beer. Crushable, you may know (I had to look it up), is beer aficionado’s argot, meaning an easygoing, super-drinkable beer.
Odell say: “Both sessional and bursting with flavour. Good Behaviour is built like an IPA with bright hop flavours and tropical fruit, yet balanced with a light body, slight haze, and crisp finish that’s truly crushable!”
Unusually, the calories (110) are boldly printed on the label.
“Unlike many low-cal beers and hard seltzers, Good Behavior was brewed without extracts or artificial sweeteners. All of the tropical fruit and peach flavors come from specialized brewing techniques with a blend of nine hop varieties, including Odell’s current favorite experimental, HBC 586.”
Sierra Nevada (California) Tropical Torpedo IPA 6.0%, 355ml can Bradley’s.
A little darker in colour than the Odell and also slightly more hoppy but there is a lovely twist of the tropical fruit in the aroma and on the palate. Virtually no indication while drinking that this Nevada is some fifty per cent stronger than the Odell.
They say: “Inspired by the island life, we created an IPA completely disconnected from the mainland. We used our one-of-a-kind Hop Torpedo to deliver an intense rush of hop flavor and the lush aromas of mango, papaya, and passionfruit with every sip.”
Garage Beer (Barcelona) “Ocata” IPA 5.4%, 440ml can Bradley’s
In a distinctive black can, this Session IPA, made with Mosaic and Palisade hops, is easy drinking and juicy with hops asserting themselves in the finish. Another well-balanced beer from the quartet. Colour’s close to the Nevada but cloudy. Add this to your crushable list!
Garage Beer Co is the “hottest micro brewery to come out of Spain” and is based in central Barcelona. Founded in 2015, after a successful crowd-funding campaign, they are already making waves in the craft beer community via their collaborations with established breweries such as Cloudwater. By the way, if you find yourself in the Catalan capital, be sure and check out their downtown brewpub.
Samuel Smith (Yorkshire) India Ale 5%, 550ml bottle Bradley’s
If the Garage Beer Company is the new kid on the block, Samuel Smith, established 1758, is the old reliable.
This ale comes in amber, darker than the other three. And it’s hops all the way in the aromas. And rich fruity hops too in the mouth. By the way, the malt is not found wanting either. Reckon a couple of these would have made life in Lahore or Lucknow or Secunderabad tolerable for a hot hour or two. Not bad either for those of us in Cocoonabad these days.
The label on the bottle is based on Samuel Smith’s Victorian letterhead when the brewery was a contractor to Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s forces.
They say: “Brewed with well water (the original well at the Old Brewery, sunk in 1758, is still in use, with the hard well water being drawn from 85 feet underground); best malted barley and a generous amount of choicest aroma hops; fermented in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ to create an exceptionally full-flavoured complex ale with an abundance of maltiness and fruity hop character.”
* Our next beer post will take a look at a bunch of Irish IPAs.
* Our next beer post will take a look at a bunch of Irish IPAs.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Biodynamic Californian Winemaker Ted Lemon and “the things that lie behind”
Biodynamic Californian Winemaker Ted Lemon and “the things that lie behind”.
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| Compost based on cow manure |
Biodynamic Californian winemaker Ted Lemon (of Littorai) gives a different kind of masterclass, to say the least. Indeed, his mention of his wines comes in a hurry at the end. But, even some hours before last Wednesday’s online masterclass began (with some 170 attendees), we had been invited to view two videos (links below).
One was about dandelion seeds and how they can travel as much as five miles, propelled by an amazing natural “vortex” system. If the first video was micro then the second was macro, recorded by the international space station and showing a stupendous display of both the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis phenomena set to Pachelbel's Canon in D Major.
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| Ted Lemon, screenshot from the masterclass |
At the end of Ted’s talk on biodynamics we had some understanding of the forces that act upon our world. And forces such as those in the video, both micro and macro, are at work in biodynamic farming, “the things that lie behind” as Ted said. We have a beautiful world and we need to start looking after it. And also looking more closely, more deeply.
Liberty Wine’s David Gleave introduced Ted saying a wine masterclass was a “strange exercise without wine. “Ted,” he said, “is a great speaker. He makes fabulous wines and his story is good too.” Ted again surprised us by beginning with a 14th century Persian poem called a The Happy Virus:
I caught the happy virus last night
When I was out singing beneath the stars.
It is remarkably contagious – So kiss me.
Ted Lemon learned his craft in Burgundy. He worked at many prestigious estates including Domaine Georges Roumier, Domaine Bruno Clair, Domaine Parent, Domaine De Villaine, Domaine Delorme and Domaine Dujac.
He was the first American ever selected as winemaker and vineyard manager of a Burgundian estate, Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault. He has also been consulting winemaker at top wineries in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
He was the first American ever selected as winemaker and vineyard manager of a Burgundian estate, Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault. He has also been consulting winemaker at top wineries in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
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| Screenshot from the masterclass. Ted has been hugely influenced by Steiner. |
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Despite his success in France, as part of the mainstream wine industry, Ted began to have doubts. He saw the land there was being poorly treated and began to think there had to be another way.
He found that in biodynamics and, after quite a search up and down the west coast of the USA, found his place at Littorai and set up there in 1993; he and wife Heidi went on to build their winery in 2008. It is a small, family run winery producing world class single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the true north coast of California: the coastal mountains of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.
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| Building up the cow manure based compost heap. |
The cause for Ted’s search for “another way” emerged in a question and answer session being chaired by Dennis Drazan Sunjic. Here’s a flavour..
“How soon did you see signs of the difference that biodynamics were making?”
Within six months was the answer. "By August/September, I noticed the growth of plants between the rows of vines, plants that I hadn’t seen before. And then the good signs snowballed."
“What is the best size for a biodynamic vineyard?”
Ted didn’t see any problem with size. There are some really big BD properties in Australia for example. You just have to adjust for scale.
“BD seems to work best when it is at the heart of a community and culture. With the mindset we now find ourselves in with lockdowns and climate change etc, what do you think can be done to return farming to a localised level and do you think that this is a good thing?”
Ted said there are some great examples currently of that type, both big and small, even in urban areas. The aim really is quality, not quantity, and the question is would we spend a bit more for it.
Earlier, Ted had taken us through the “Western” agricultural history, from hunter gatherers, to nomadic cultures, to traditional community farms and then to the Agricultural revolution of the 17th century, right up to the family farm.
Then came the Industrial Revolution, the world wars, the petro-chemical industry, the loss of diversity. “Did you know that in France, at the end of the 19th century, they had 3,600 different apple varieties? By 1950, there were just a few hundred left.”
After the wars, the family farm was increasingly replaced by the industrial farm, more inputs bought in, the produce now geared towards the market. Working for profit became the norm. “More fertilisers.. less and less variety”.
At the same time (from 1920 onwards) though, alternative forms of farming were emerging, slowly. These included Biodynamics (1924), Organic (1930s and 40s), Permaculture (70s), and Agro-ecology (80s).
Ted cited Rudolf Steiner as one of his main influences and then took us through the use of Preparations, unique to BD farming but with which you may be familiar. Preparation 500 is animal material in an animal sheath while 501 is mineral material in animal sheath (often a cow’s horn). Vegetable material may also be placed in a sheath. And then there’s the use of herbal teas, as tonics, enhancers and stimulants.
Interestingly, cow manure is a key part of BD. The manure contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and more. Cow manure compost provides a much higher yield in humus per acre than simple dung left on the field and humus is the most important carbon sink on the farm. “Cow manure,” said Ted, “is a balanced manure and easy to collect.”
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| The little things that count big |
And then there are some little things. “Take care of the worms,” he said. Give them the conditions to multiply and they’ll reward you. The bees and the pollinators must also find a welcome. Plant those wildflowers and you’ll be rewarded. But don’t just hire in swarms as they do in the almond orchards of California. “A healthy farm is a self-contained, self-sustaining individuality.”
Observation is hugely important. Ted surprised himself when he began to study the gophers on the farm (we don’t have them in Ireland!). “Pure destruction, you think”. But their digging underground “has a beneficial function”.
“Our job as winegrowers is to work in harmony with nature and not in opposition. Our vineyard work centres around enhancing systemic ecological health so that our vineyards do not succumb to attacks but bend like reeds in the wind and then return to their natural, healthy condition.”
Towards the end, Ted was asked to talk about their recent vintages. I noted the Pinot Noir comments. The 2010 is hardly recent but he was full of praise for it, “quite exceptional”. The 2014 and 2016 are “more classic, the 14 a little more elegant”. The 2015 “will age”, so perhaps wait for it is the message here.
It is the opposite with the 2017. “Drink them young and enjoy the fruit from a very hot vintage”. “The 2018 seems to have everything… will be a classic, while the 2019 is looking good.” More about Ted's wines here.
James Whelan Butchers Introduces New Local Delivery Service
press release
James Whelan Butchers Introduces
New Local Delivery Service
With the growing need for home deliveries, artisan butchers, James Whelan Butchers has launched a new local next day delivery, which compliments it’s established online business.
The local delivery is available online at www.jameswhelanbutchers.com, for customers living within a 15km radius of any of the James Whelan Butcher shops throughout Ireland, with free delivery on orders over €50.
Pat Whelan, CEO of James Whelan Butchers states, “At James Whelan Butchers, we can see there’s a clear need in these extraordinary times, to provide local delivery. This allows people to stay in the safety of their own home, yet giving them access to great food. We have put together a range of some of our most popular products with a simple next day local delivery, which is a perfect solution for those cocooning or who for whatever reason want to stay inside.”
Pat continued, “For any customers outside this radius, who wish to shop from home, our existing Nationwide Delivery Service is available throughout the island of Ireland.”
The free local delivery service is only available through the James Whelan Butchers website and offers local deliveries Tuesday to Saturday.
To find out more information about James Whelan Butchers and their new Local Delivery Service, please visit www.jameswhelanbutchers.com.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Chronicles of COVID-19. Cork Folklore Project
Chronicles of COVID-19
Cork Folklore Project
press release
Cork Folklore Project
press release
We hope you are all safe and well in these strange times, and are getting in contact with an invitation to be part of a people’s chronicle of life at this moment in history.
Life is changing rapidly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in Ireland and worldwide. Our experiences are important to document for the future, and the Cork Folklore Projecthas launched an innovation to do just that. We invite you to become part of this project by adding your voice to our ‘Chronicles of COVID-19’ archival collection.
Social media posts don’t last forever, newspapers are focused on certain aspects of the crisis, but where will the experiences of ordinary people be documented as a long-term record of life in these times? We are interested in your accounts of how everyday life is changing, your stories and your observations, for our community-based archive.
How can you contribute? You can fill out some or all of our ‘Chronicles of COVID-19’ questionnaire at Chronicles of COVID-19 The first phase closes on Monday 20 April, and we will have follow-up phases. The questionnaire will take approx. 15 minutes to complete, depending on how much detail you want to provide.
If you wish to share photos and/or written or audio accounts, just contact us at covid19chronicles@
If you have any questions, just drop us a line at covid19chronicles@
Taste of the Week. Davidson's Chicken Italiano
Taste of the Week
Davidson's Chicken Italiano
Davidson's are our local craft butchers and regularly come up with some terrific ideas. Just noticed this pic on their Facebook a few weeks ago, grabbed the keys and headed on over to the shop, knowing that this could well be a Taste of the Week. And so it proved.
Juicy boneless chicken breasts filled with cheddar cheese, smothered in tomato & herb sauce and topped with grated mozzarella and a drizzle of fresh basil pesto. Cover in foil and roast in the oven for 40 mins @ 180°C. They’re saucy, they’re cheesy, they’re delicious. We tested them immediately and they are superb.
No more grabbing the keys now and heading up to our butcher but the place is well geared up to meet the needs of its customers during these covid19 times. We were able to order over the phone and one of our adult children picked up the box for us, a box that included the Italiano.
The Chicken Italiano is part of their specially range that also includes award winners such as Pork Steak Wellington, Home-made Meat Loaf, Crusted Rack of Lamb, Steak Stir Fry, Butterflied Leg of Lamb, Chicken Pizzaiola, and Chicken Supreme stuffed with broccoli and gruyere cheese. And most of these are available these days, though maybe not all on any one day!
7 St Christopher's Drive
Montenotte
Cork
(021) 451 8184
Monday, April 13, 2020
Barolo and Barbaresco. Two of the best from Italy’s Piemonte
Barolo and Barbaresco. Two of the best from Italy’s Piemonte.
“In a world where wines are generally produced using the same grapes, the same technology, the same additives, the same oak for ageing and above all the same wine makers, our aim is to obtain a wine which is the expression of the vineyard it comes from, of the grapes it is made of, and above all of our own ideas.” So say Ascheri on their website. The result, in this case at least, is excellent.
The DO is in the Piemonte, not too far from Turin and a next door neighbour to the Barbaresco. Since its earliest days Barolo is referred to as “the king of wines and the wine of kings”, the red wines of the area having been developed by various noble families. Counts (including di Cavour, a leader of the Italian unification movement) and Vittoria Emanuele II (the first king of a unified Italy) were among those associated with the area.
Speaking of unity, I am reminded that there are differences in Barolo bottles. Those from the northern side where the soil is softer tend to to be smoother, less tannic, and more approachable. From the south and its slightly older soil, you'll find the wines are a little bit more "muscle'y", more spicy, a bit more structured. Besides, there is a traditional approach (buy to lay down) and a modern approach (buy to drink soon) and each has its passionate devotees here.
But back to the matter in hand. Mid to light ruby, close to the normal Pinot Noir colour. Beautiful aromas, light fruit, sweet and floral notes. Soft and round on the palate, elegant rounded fruit flavours. There an overall harmony here, an amicable unity of flavour tannin and a refined power, with a gentle lingering finish. Complex, soft and round, this 100% Nebbiolo is Very Highly Recommended. "Good Barolo," according to the World Atlas of Wine, "is arguably the world's most uncompromising wine.. ."
Try this “classic of the wine world” with Fillet Steak, Pork, Rib-Eye Steak, Roast lamb/beef. Perhaps with one of those wild mushroom risottos recommended for the Barbaresco. Best served at 14°/16°C.
As you may know by now, I usually keep an eye on the sales and offers for wine and was glad to get this for 24.95 in the O’Briens pre Christmas Fine Wine Sale. The Nebbiolo vines are grown on steep hillsides and all grapes are picked by hand. The wine is aged for 12 months in steel tanks, 24 months in large oak barrels (70% old, 30% new).
You may come across, most likely in Italy, a Barolo Chinato; this is an aromatised wine made from a base of Barolo wine and usually drank as a digestif.
Barbaresco Pora Riserva 2011 (DOCG), 14.5%
Only in the very good vintages, the best grapes from historical crus (single vineyards) of the Barbaresco appellation are vinified separately. They are released after four years of ageing, as Riserva. It is bottled by “one of the best cooperatives in Europe” (according to The Modern History of Italian Wine), a cooperative founded in 1958 by Fiorini Marengo “to give dignity to a depressed area”. Now the famous wine brings dignity to the table. And indeed, it is referred to as "the wine of queens".
The proud past of Barbaresco and the dedication of its creators have made the Produttori one of the greatest producers in a great wine-producing area; it... ”continues to set some of the highest standards of wine making for any cooperative in the world”. (Robert M. Parker, Jr.; The Wine Advocate, 2-28-90). “Textbook Barbaresco made in traditional style” according to Vino Italiano.
Colour is mid-ruby. Sweet ripe fruit aromas. Sweet cherry and plum and a wash of spice flows across the palate. Smooth, with a medium body, with pliant tannins, this harmonious wine, somewhat lighter and brighter on the palate than its neighbour, is quite exquisite with a long and pleasurable finish. Good acidity also and that helps it go well with the rich food (best described as forestale, according to Vino Italiano) that local restaurants serve: wild mushroom risottos, golden Toma cheeses, all sorts of chestnut and hazelnut torte. Very Highly Recommended.
A quick check on the internet showed that you can buy the Pora for €68.33 (for the 2014) at Millesima; my 2011 was bought at the 2019 Karwig Wine closing down sale for much less. Production in 2011 was 16,666 bottles, and this bottle is numbered 4877. The DOCG, in the Piemonte, is not too far from Turin.
In great vintages, nine single-vineyard Barbarescos are produced from nine classic premium sites within the Barbaresco village boundaries: Rabaja, Asili, Montestefano, Pora, Ovello, Rio Sordo, Montefico, Moccagatta and Pajè.
These are the geographical names of sites where Nebbiolo grapes have always been cultivated. The names of the single-vineyards, the total number of bottles produced, and the name of the owners of the vineyards are marked on the labels.
The current edition of the prestigious World Atlas of Wine also has high regard for the Produttori, naming it in a handful of "outstanding producers in Barbaresco today". It also tells us that Nebbiolo finds its "most dazzling expression... in the Barbaresco zone .. and around the village of Barolo".
The current edition of the prestigious World Atlas of Wine also has high regard for the Produttori, naming it in a handful of "outstanding producers in Barbaresco today". It also tells us that Nebbiolo finds its "most dazzling expression... in the Barbaresco zone .. and around the village of Barolo".
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